A shaft seal assembly of this kind is known from DE 195 32 549 A1 and has a compensating device with a bridging portion made up of an elastomer which connects annular fastening members to one another with a certain flexibility and forms a bridge between the machine housing and the bearing casing. This elastomer bridging portion is a shaped part which has to be produced specifically for the shaft seal.
In the case of another known shaft seal assembly of the type refereed-to-above DE 44 44 719 A1, the compensation device or its bridging portion comprises a metal bellows or compensator. A device of this kind is expensive and requires large dead spaces in the region of the shaft exit from the machine housing.
A further shaft seal assembly is known (EP 0 268 730 A2) wherein a counter-ring for a sliding ring seal to which lubricant is supplied, is held by a radially inner annular collar and a radially outer holding flange. These members are provided with seat recesses for O-rings. These O-rings are fixed by an annular disk and another O-ring. The O-rings serve to seal off the lubricant supply. The sliding ring seal and the counter-ring formed by the inner annular collar rest against one another in the axial direction.
A further shaft seal assembly is known (U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,613) wherein a lubricated sliding-contact bearing uses an outer annular thrust bearing to supply lubricant, and sealing off the lubricant passage is by means of O-rings, via which bearing forces are also passed. A graphite ring is used to seal off the lubricant from conveyed material.